Luxembourg's Ministry of the Economy has announced the launch of an internet platform to match supply and demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, by the national agency for the promotion of innovation, Luxinnovation, in collaboration with the wedo.lu team of the Federation of Craftsmen - see www.EPI-Covid19.lu.

This platform, which functions as an evolving directory, with secure access for users, aims to gather all the information relating to the production and supply of the following items of personal protective equipment (PPE):

• Surgical and FFP2 type masks
• Non-certified protective masks
• Visors
• Plastic protective screens
• Aprons
• Disinfectants

The website concerns both raw materials as well as finished and semi-finished products, in addition to skills and services. In the "Offers" section, independent professionals, craftsmen, SMEs, large companies and research institutes will be able to submit and display their offers. In the "Requests" section, Luxembourg municipalities, associations, administrations and public institutions, as well as companies and professional applicants can display their specific needs in terms of personal protective equipment. Protective equipment companies will also be able to launch "calls for proposals" to inform potential customers of all the parameters of their production capacity.

The matching between supply and demand will be managed directly between partners who will seek a common agreement outside the platform.

The EPI-COVID19.lu platform is produced by Luxinnovation under the aegis of the government in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, with the support of the Federation of Craftsmen, Fedil, the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Trades and the Luxembourg Trade Confederation.